Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A method for carrying out crystallization by annealing with good throughput on a large-area semiconductor thin film to constitute an active layer of thin film transistors integrally formed in a thin film semiconductor device. To manufacture a thin film semiconductor device, an amorphous semiconductor thin film is first formed on the surface of an insulating substrate 1 extending in the longitudinal direction and the cross direction, which are mutually orthogonal. An annealing step is then carried out wherein energy is applied from outside to transform the semiconductor thin film 2 from amorphous to polycrystalline form. Thin film transistors are then formed using this semiconductor thin film 2 as an active layer. In the annealing step, a line-shaped ultraviolet beam 23 extending in the cross direction of the insulating substrate 1 and of relatively low energy is radiated at the insulating substrate 1 from the rear side thereof and a line-shaped laser beam 4 also extending in the cross direction of the insulating substrate 1 and of relatively high energy is radiated at the insulating substrate 1 from the front side thereof and in alignment with the area irradiated by the ultraviolet beam 23. At this time, the insulating substrate 1 is moved relative to the irradiated area in the X direction. The same method can also be used in a source/drain region activating step for activating an impurity doped into a semiconductor thin film to form source and drain regions of thin film transistors.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim